Miles of Serendipitous Adventure

The Miles Between by Mary E. Pearson is just pure serendipity! Everything falls into place, shows up at the right time, and works out in the end. Pearson created a story that makes you feel good.

Destiny Farrady is in the latest of many, many boarding schools she is shuffled in and out of. She keeps to herself and doesn't bother making friends, because inevitably she will just have to leave them! The only thing she is looking forward to is her aunt's visit on her birthday because she knows her parents won't be coming. They never come. In fact, they have essentially forgotten they even have a daughter. But when her aunt cancels her visit, Des is so upset she doesn't know what to do... until she spots the beautiful car in front of the school with the engine running.

Des needs to take this car, but she can't drive. She sees another student, a boy she has been interested in, dodging his work duty detention and convinces him to drive the car- but she doesn't tell him the car isn't hers! Then, two other students happen by and want to tag along. Soon, the foursome is off on an adventure that will change their lives.

With a hilarious and adorable quest with no destination in sight, the four students start driving to the nearest city. They happen upon a poor lost lamb and adopt it as their "dog" (affectionately referred to as Lucky and explained as being a "Lamberdoodle" when they are told livestock isn't allowed in the city limits. They stumble upon a great thrift shop where they find poodle skirts and funky outfits to change into instead of their uniforms. Des even finds a stack of cash in the glove box to fund their little excursion. The conclusion of their "fair" and perfect day leads to more than just one revelation of their lives and budding friendships.

This is an absolutely adorable book with a sweet story of four kids who are trying to find their way in life. It is a quick read, and it keeps you interested with something always happening on the road trip. The language is very readable and not terribly complicated. There is also a bit of seriousness as Des deals with her family and deeper troubles in her life, but these issues are handled with a delightful optimism that will put a smile on your face. In fact, I would like to rename the book to "the Smiles Between". If you just need a feel-good book that will make you happy for your friends and family, this is it!

A War of Words

How I See The Alphabet War

by guest author Liz, Grade 12

The book The Alphabet War is a children's book by Diane Burton Robb and illustrated by Gail Piazza.  The book is about dyslexia, and the theme is believing you can't read or spell and then realizing you actually can.


Adam is a little boy with a big imagination who discovers that he can't read and realizes that he also can't pretend he can.  The principal and his parents get together to figure out a way to help him.  They decide to test him and find out in 3rd grade that he has dyslexia.  His 4th grade teacher Mr. Chase is the first teacher who believes in him.  Adam believes he is stupid and doesn't know anything because he doesn't know how to read.  Mr. Chase teaches Adam that he is actually smart even though he didn't believe the person who did his testing.  Then he start doing the things that he can do well, like make a skateboard that can "whip anybody racing down Third Street Hill."  He tries and works his hardest at things that are hard and believes that he can do it.


The book is a good lesson to have children realize that you have to start believing in yourself.  Once you realize you can do it, you can almost do anything.  It relates to me because I have dyslexia.  When I was little, I also thought that it was good enough to pretend and not really worry about doing anything.  I understood the feeling when Adam was getting tested, the feeling like a bug under a microscope.  The books shows realistically how kids would feel and would react to these different abilities.  At one part, he kicked a kid who made fun of him.  I know I have felt that way when someone has made fun of me because of my learning disability that I have to deal with and can not change.


I thought the book was all right.  I would recommend it to some people.  I think kids that aren't dyslexic but think things are really hard should read this book to show them that things can be worse.  Kids who have dyslexia and feel like they can't do anything should also read it.  I would recommend it to Elementary teachers so they can really realize what it is like.  Then they can help the kids so the issues are resolved when they are little.  Little kids should be able to understand what dyslexia is and get through it rather than waiting until a certain age.  It will be way harder if they wait.  Kids should ease in to what they are about to learn so they don't need to do so many things at once, especially with their learning disability, and this book is a good place to start.

Beautiful Creatures are calling to you!

Try as I might, I couldn't get through this big girl in one night over the holiday break! But, oh! I did try! Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl is a southern, Gothic tale of a small town who revels in their reenactments, supports voodoo and strong Baptist beliefs in the same breath, and knows there is something going on in the Ravenwood estate- especially when Macon Ravenwood's niece Lena Duchannes shows up to live there.

Ethan Wate is an average high school boy who plays on the basketball team, "belongs" without actually belonging, and goes through the motions of adolescence. Then again, maybe he isn't so average... his mother dies, his father becomes a shut-in, and his voodoo practicing nanny/housekeeper, Amma, keeps hiding charms around the house to protect him (some which contain creepy little chicken bones Ethan suspects were from dinner). When Lena comes to Gatlin High and the rest of the school immediately pegs her as Macon Ravenwood's creepy niece, Ethan feels oddly protective of her. This of course instantly makes him as much of a pariah as Lena is.

Quickly, however, it becomes clear to Ethan that despite their feelings for one another, Lena is hiding something from him. Upon meeting the infamous hermit, Macon Ravenwood, Ethan finds out what is really going on with Lena. However, the extent of her secret is still to be uncovered. Lena and Ethan must delve into the secret history of Gatlin in order to save Lena from a fate she is terrified to see.

This book is almost 600 pages, which can be daunting to say the least. While I felt it moved pretty swiftly, looking back I see the real meat of the story didn't evolve until 300 pages into the novel. Therefore, this may not be the best novel to get a reluctant kid to read. However, if you have the kind of kid who loves the supernatural books and can plod through such a tome, this is a really cool story. I love the Gothic, southern elements that creep into even the smallest elements of the story. For instance, Ethan has three kooky, elderly aunts he spends time with each and every week. He takes them to church, keeps them from killing each other, and even makes emergency vet runs when one clubs the other's dog thinking it was a rat. There is a southern hospitality about this book that is just charming.

There are other less appealing aspects of such a small-town culture, too, though. For instance, when odd things happen around Lena (glass explodes out of a window when a group of girls are tormenting her), the town mothers and DAR members rally together to kick her out of school, claiming she is an evil influence on their children. The town goes to great lengths to get rid of Lena, simply because she is related to Macon Ravenwood. Even teachers and the principal want her gone for no other reason than she "might" be responsible for the odd things that happen.

This is a really interesting book, and I loved it, but the size and belated action might make it difficult for some to get through. I would suggest giving it to a strong reader who can spend extended periods of time reading. Otherwise, you will keep plucking your way through this book and it will consume the entire year! I also think this is more of a "girl" book than a "guy" book. While there is some interesting supernatural content, there is a lot about the relationship between Lena and Ethan, as well as a great deal about love, friendships, etc. The action is more of an undertone to the mystery of the relationships in the story. Nonetheless, this was a great book that kept me up half the night until I just couldn't go on any longer! I passed out on top of the book dreaming about creepy Gothic graves and chicken bones (and possibly even drooling a little bit!). Great read!

Knights Templar in a whole new Light!

"Killing him should be easy; He's only six." An opening line like that is all this book needed to grab me! As I was reading it, I was just praying it would become a series! I don't know much about the Knights Templar beyond what Dan Brown wrote about, but I have always been intrigued by their history, and in particular, their mysterious nature throughout history. When I picked up Devil's Kiss, by Sarwat Chadda, I wasn't prepared for such an interesting book and description of the Knights Templar!

Billi's Father is the master of the Knights Templar, while her mother, a Pakistani Muslim, was killed by one the very monsters Billi, her father, and the other Knights fight against each and every day. Billi is being trained as a Templar, much to the irritation of the older, more cantankerous of the Order. Despite the training, all Billi really cares about is having a normal life. She wants to be able to do her homework at night without having to assist in slayings and Ghul, Were, or Grigori attacks. She wants to meet boys and have a real relationship. Most of all, she wants her friend, Kay, another Templar in training, to return from Jerusalem where he is learning to hone his psychic abilities.

When Kay returns, though, his powers get him in trouble. He underestimates his abilities and almost allows a group of angry fallen angels (Grigori) escape hell. They were able to close the portal, but not before the Grigori are able to call for their one free brother- The Angel of Death. The Knights are preparing for a fight, but Billi just wants to spend time with the mysterious new guy she just met- Michael. What Billi doesn't know is that her unconventional and sometimes terrifying life is about to get a whole lot scarier.

Packed with history and mystical fiction, this book is really a page-turner. I read it in one sitting and was sad to see it end. The characters are deep and complex while the story is tinted with dark creatures, religion, and a modern girl who just wants to listen to her iPod and enjoy being a teenager. I love how Chadda is able to combine an ancient mysterious order with the life of an average present-day teenager. This is a great book for both guys and girls, with enough action to keep anyone interested. It isn't too gory, but there are some harsh parts with the creepy Ghuls. If you have a student who is a little bit darker than Harry Potter or Twilight, but still likes the magical, mystical type of book, this one is sure to be a screaming success! Now I am just going to keep my fingers crossed that Chadda decides to continue Billi's story!

What does "Beautiful" mean anyway?

I have had this book for a while, started it a couple of times, but never gotten very far. I finally picked it up again over the holiday and looking back, I don't know how I ever put it down. North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley is a beautiful story about physical beauty, inner beauty, pain, humiliation, and coming to terms with who you are.

Terra is a senior in high school who is determined to keep her body as beautiful and physically fit as possible. She obsesses over her body to compensate for the rather large port-wine birthmark that is splayed across her cheek. Despite years of trying to lighten the birthmark through painful laser surgeries, nothing has worked. But Terra has become a master at camouflage. She has enough make-up to cover her face, and sometimes her soul, from the rest of the world.

The birthmark isn't Terra's only source for humiliation. Her father is great at making her feel small and insignificant. When he isn't picking on Terra's mother for being overweight, this washed up cartographer waits for opportunities to keep his children down, humiliate them, and hurt them in anyway possible. Terra's two older brothers have escaped the tension of the household, but Terra is still stuck there. Each moment in the house is spent listening to her father abuse her mother and being torn between wanting to intervene and not wanting to be the next victim.

When her brothers come home for Christmas, Terra's father pulls his usual attack which causes the boys to leave- the eldest returning to China where he has lived for two years. When he sends Terra and her mother tickets to visit him in China, they immediately dispel the idea- Terra's father would never let them go. It takes the gentle push of a new-found friend and her son, Jacob, who offer to go with them to get Terra and her mother on the plane. Once in China, both Terra and her mother are forced to look at themselves, their lives, and most sadly, Terra's father and his verbal and emotional abuse.

This is an amazing book that put a knot in my stomach from the first word to the last. The description of the father's emotional and verbal abuse is so haunting, I felt as though I was Terra. Having known victims of such abuse, and having been a witness to such abuse, I have no idea how Headley could put those emotions and feelings on paper. I had a friend whose father was just like Terra's, and the tension, anxiety and fear Headley describes is what you felt the moment you walked into my friend's house. But at the same time, this book is beautiful. We are all flawed, but that is simply what makes us stronger.

I would recommend this book for students only if you can be sure they have never suffered this kind of family situation. I can honestly say the descriptions of the father are so painful and hurtful that if a student who had a similar home life were to read this book, the consequences could be great. However, this is an amazing book for that student who may need a "little touch with reality". We have all had the student who thinks the latest high school drama and who sat where in the cafeteria are the biggest happenings in the world. This book is certainly an eye-opener to how those silly high school dramas aren't really as important as kids think they are. My only caution is to please read this book before you give to a student and know the student you are recommending this book to- it isn't for everyone.

Echo

Have you ever relived a moment in time, trying to judge whether anything you could have done might have prevented an inevitable outcome? When Justin's younger brother Mark dies, Justin is forced to relive the horrific day and its consequences again, and again, and again.  Kate Morgenroth's Echo depicts grief and its consequences and explores the gray area between reality and illusion.


Justin used to be popular. He used to be an athlete. Now, he's a pariah. His former friends and his girlfriend go out of their way to avoid him. Everyone tells him he has changed. The teachers and administrators at his school have lost their patience; his grief is no longer enough to account for his rudeness and hostility. Justin thinks he is doing fine until he is overwhelmed by the anniversary of his brother's death and is found at the scene of a critical accident involving his former friend Billy. Already grappling with the guilt of being a firsthand witness at his brother's death, Justin now hears a voice that makes him relive the day of Billy's accident over and over.

Each time, Justin sees the incident with new eyes and learns a little more about the cast of supporting characters. He comes to understand which circumstances he could have changed and which were beyond his control. He realizes that he is not, in fact, okay, but that he also does not have to be alone in his grief.

Echo is dark and a little raw in places. It's not too graphic, but there are a few scenes I could do without visiting multiple times. For young adults who are not too close to grief in their own lives or who have an interest in psychology, this would be an interesting read.  It is pretty compelling, and at 137 pages, moves quickly. There's a little mystery and a little raw emotion as well as a need for belonging and search for forgiveness that we can all relate to.

Prepare to be Locked Down with this one from Cover to Cover!

Intense is most certainly not the word for Lockdown: Escape from the Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith. This book is dark, twisted, and terrifying! Smith's breakout YA novel is one that will keep kids (and adults) intrigued and possibly even a little queasy.

It starts with Alex Sawyer, a teenager who has slipped into some bad habits from bullying to burglarizing houses at night. Alex is not an angel. He started off small by ripping off his classmates and preying upon the weaker students in particular. When he and his friend graduate to robbing houses, they really like the money it brings in. But one night, in a routine burglary, the boys find they are not alone in the house. A group of giant thugs led by a terrifying man in a gas mask catch the boys, kill Alex's friend, and tell Alex he'd better run! Alex quickly realizes it was all just a set-up as he is quickly apprehended by the police, convicted, and thrown into the new prison- the Furnace.

Furnace is a warehouse for young criminals built into a crater in the earth. With nothing but rock miles deep surrounding them, the kids have no choice but to accept life's cruel twist of fate- especially since so many are innocent. Alex quickly breaks all the rules- he can't stop worrying about the kids he came in with, makes friends with his bunk mate, and even stands up to the biggest gang in the prison to help another "new fish". Alex can't stop bringing attention to himself, and both the guards, the warden, and the other prisoners are ready to put him in his place.

Lockdown is not only a scary prison book- it has subtle (or not so subtle) hints of the supernatural as well. These elements aren't the primary focus of the story, but they certainly do the trick of giving you goosebumps. Prison guard dogs with no skin, just bulging muscle and vicious blood-thirsty fangs, patrol the Furnace after a lockdown hoping for a kid to rip apart. Creepy beings swoop in at night and mark 2-3 cells. One boy from each cell is taken and never returns (or do they?!). Even the guards seem to be something inexplicable. All seems hopeless in the Furnace... or is it?

When Alex and his friends find a possible way out, they go to great lengths to orchestrate the escape. But no one escapes from the furnace- at least no one who lives to tell the tale. You will just have to read the book to find out what Alex does next, and get ready for the sequel!

I would recommend this book for a teen boy who needs an action-packed novel to keep their interest. There is never a dull moment in the Furnace, and this book will keep them interested! However, it is very, very dark and disturbing. I wouldn't recommend this book for a younger, less-mature student, as it can be quite harsh at times. The vocabulary is also a little high, but that can be a great thing if the student is reading the book with you- a perfect teaching situation! I would certainly recommend reading this particular book before giving it to a student to be sure they can handle the situations. It may be a YA novel, but this book is written with adult situations and language. However, if given to the right student, it could get even the toughest student reading furiously!